Alone in the Dark
by Threshie
Summary: Dilandau awakens to find himself in the infirmary and unable to see! Thankfully, Shesta is keeping vigil over him, so he doesn't have to be alone in the dark... An unfinished scene from my Escaflowne Daydream Journal.


**Alone in the Dark…**

By Threshie

AN: This is a random scene I wrote when I felt like writing about Dilandau and his Dragon slayers. Incidentally, I only ended up writing one DS into the story. Please note that I came up with this scene from nowhere, and so it's NOT FINISHED. As in, it will begin and end abruptly. ;

Also, this ficlet is in RP format--that is, alternating POVs of the characters in small entries throughout the scene. I don't repeat what happened from one character's POV when I switch to the other's, so it's still free-flowing. Hopefully you won't find it too distracting to read. (Sweatdrop) if you do, gomen ne--that's how I originally wrote it and it feels right that way.

So, here's the ficlet. Perhaps sometime I'll brush it up and add explanations for how the characters got into this situation--in the meantime, I hope you like what is here. Please review and tell me if this weird style is working! (sweatdrop)

* * *

The impact of the situation hit him abruptly. He was alone. _B-by myself,_ he thought faintly, beginning to tremble. _They're all gone. Everyone's gone!_

----

Shesta bit his lip. For nearly an hour now, his commander and lord had lay in a death-like sleep. When at last he awoke, he didn't say a word. He slowly sat up, pale red eyes staring distantly at everything. Abruptly, he began to shake. "Dilandau-sama...?" Shesta asked, reaching one hand tentatively to hover just above the albino's shoulder.

----

Dilandau stiffened at the sudden voice. He recognized the tone.

"Shesta!" He was so relieved that he wasn't alone that he didn't even add a hint of anger to his tone.

----

"I'm here, Dilandau-sama," the blonde boy said in surprise. Leaning over to peer into his lord's eyes, he asked, "Can't you see me?"

----

Dilandau turned his head toward the voice.

"Of course not," he said with a hint of irritation, but just a hint. "It's pitch black in here!"

----

Horror froze Shesta in place. _Oh, no...no, no, he _can't_ be...!_

"Th-the lights are lit in here, Dilandau-sama," he admitted softly after a moment. _He can't be blind--if he's blind, he'll be discharged from the military!_

There was a short pause, then Dilandau asked dangerously, "_What_?"

----

"The lights are lit, Sir." The sound of Shesta's voice was a welcome thing. What he was saying, however... _No,_ he cut himself off even before he could think it. _No, no, no, I am _not_ blind--I _REFUSE_ to be blind!_

"Shesta, where are you?" He demanded, probing the air in front of him with an outstretched arm. His fingers brushed against warm skin. _I'm _not_ alone,_ he reaffirmed, _If Shesta's here I can't be alone._

----

Shesta cringed a little at the hand coming for his face, but quickly realized that Dilandau wasn't trying to hit him, just locate him. The albino had managed to touch his face without the blonde boy even saying anything to hint at his location. Tentatively, Shesta placed his right hand atop Dilandau's outstretched one.

"I'm here."

----

Hearing these words and now having a hand--a real, tangible hand--within his grasp, Dilandau felt much better about the darkness around him. Sliding his hand across Shesta's, he caught the blonde's wrist and had pulled him into his arms in an instant.

----

Shesta blinked, stunned for a moment. "S...Sir?" He asked a bit worriedly, glancing over his shoulder to check his lord's expression. Dilandau most certainly was _not_ a hugging-type person, and so this latest action puzzled the blonde boy greatly. "What're you...?"

----

Noting the uneasiness in his Dragon Slayer's voice, Dilandau leaned his chin on the boy's shoulder, sighing.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Shesta. I'm just making sure you don't _leave_ me." _My eyes must be stunned from the explosion,_ he told himself a bit shakily--everything was still dark. _They just need time to recover. I'll be able to see again soon--I'm not blind. I'm _NOT

----

"I'd never leave you alone, Dilandau-sama," Shesta assured him. Closing his eyes, he sighed as darkness enveloped the world. _This is how things seem to him right now,_ he thought. In the darkness, with no knowledge of directions, it really did seem like there was nothing beyond the pair of arms around him and any words Dilandau might say. _It's lonely..._

----

Shesta's words had the reassuring effect that was intended...but Dilandau also heard the sigh that followed. _Would he leave me if he could?_ He wondered, _If I didn't have such a good hold on him, would he have already left me by now?_

The thought was a frightening one. That even his most loyal men would someday leave him, and he would be powerless to stop it. He began to tremble again, but tried to ignore it. _Don't think about it!_ He told himself with a severe tone he usually reserved for his Dragon Slayers when he was furious.

----

Shesta was beginning to be worried by the silence. With blackness around him, it was surprising how frightening it was not to hear another person's voice. Then, as if the silence hadn't frightened him enough, he felt Dilandau began to tremble.

"Dilandau-sama?" He asked, cringing at how much concern he heard in his own voice. Dilandau generally slapped people for trying to be concerned about him...

----

Dilandau was startled out of his dark thoughts by Shesta's concerned voice. _He sounds worried,_ the albino noted with relief. _He wouldn't be worried about me if he just wanted to leave..._ Just in case, he decided, he'd be careful not to let go of his grip on the blonde boy until he could see again.

"Where...is everyone else?"

----

Shesta was surprised at the tone of Dilandau's voice. _He sounds terrified..._ The blonde boy thought guiltily, glancing down at the pale hands that held his own so tightly.

He swallowed, answering, "They're outside, Dilandau-sama. The doctors wouldn't let us all come in here, and Folken-sama is trying to make us work even though you're not there."

_----_

_They're already working for someone else!_ Dilandau thought in horror. So it was true, then. Folken thought he was blind permanently, and was already replacing him!

"A-and you're _following_ his orders...?" He asked with as much scorn as he could muster.

----

Shesta smiled faintly at the familiar annoyed tone of voice. _That's more like the Dilandau-sama I know._

"Of course not, Sir. We're loyal to you and only you--Folken-sama isn't very happy with the crowd of Dragon Slayers standing outside the infirmary door, though."

--To Be Continued If Threshie Ever Writes More…


End file.
